Conventional web converting equipment uses some sort of transport mechanism for moving the web at high rates of speeds through a series of processing stations. Typically such processing stations include corrosive environments through which the web must be transported. For instance, in existing photographic film processors used to develop and fix photosensitive elements which are subjected to x-ray, visible, and other radiation, the web is transported via a series of rollers defining a web transport path through a sequence of processing stations including wash and dry stations.
Very often during processing, photosensitive media are coated with a magnetic layer to enable it to gather digital information. The magnetic layer often contains a small fraction of hard inorganic particles to facilitate cleaning of the magnetic head which are used for reading digital information in a read-out device. Photographic films are also coated with an "anti-stat" layer for dissipating static charges from the moving web. The anti-stat layers generally contain hard abrasive particles like tin oxide, antimony oxide, vanadium oxide, and the like.
Moreover, process and transport apparatus for photosensitive web or other media is another well known application requiring a web transport mechanism. Such equipment may include automatic processing of the media for thermal, ink jet, or silver halide-based photographic printing, and the like. The apparatus automatically transports sheets or webs or strips of photosensitive films, photosensitive papers, or specially coated papers or plain papers. For photosensitive elements, this apparatus transports from a feed end of a film transport path, through a sequence of chemical processing tanks in which the media is developed, fixed, and washed, and then through a dryer to a discharge or receiving end. The processing equipment typically has a fixed film (media) path length, so final image quality depends on factors including transport speed which determines length of time the media is in solution, and the temperature and composition of the processing chemicals.
Therefore, a need persists for an apparatus and method that makes use of an inorganic coated media bearing surface for conveying abrasive media, such apparatus having superior wear, abrasion, and corrosion resistance while being cost-effective and easy to manufacture.